


Breaking the Silence

by AnjuSchiffer



Category: Maribat - Fandom
Genre: Dickinette, Gen, MariBat, character death mention, family comfort i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:55:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25170472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnjuSchiffer/pseuds/AnjuSchiffer
Summary: Despite seeming like a completely normal family, Dick knew that they were far from that. Of course, his son doesn't realize this. I had to take argument and a confession of Dick's guilt and regrets for his children to realize the truth. Dick has still healing, despite the issue being from long ago.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Dick Grayson
Comments: 28
Kudos: 141





	Breaking the Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Marie and Thomas are fraternal twins and are 16 years of age.

The door opened with a slam and closed with a click, Dick peeking over the doorway, his face lightening up upon seeing his children enter the home. However, a frown replaced his smile when he saw Thomas throw his bag to the side, Marie watching her twin brother with a pursed lip and worried eyes.

“-maybe he can help.” Marie whispered, trying to grab Thomas’ hand only to get it slapped away.

“Dad?” Thomas scoffed, dragging his hand down his face before flinging his hand in the direction of the kitchen. “That happy-go-lucky guy? Bet he’s never had to deal with this shit before.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try.” Marie urged, holding Thomas’ hand into her own. “Maybe he can-”

“He won’t and will not. And you better not tell him about any of this.” Thomas gritted, jerking his hand away from Marie, his eyes landing on his father who was now standing at the foyer of the house, a smile plastered on his face.

How long was he there for? How much did he know?

“So, how was school?” Richard asked, leaning on the wall, watching as Marie fidgeted under his watch while Thomas muttered something, averting his attention.

“It was alright.” Thomas started, picking up his school bag and threw it over his shoulder. “Aced my midterms if that helps.” Richard’s smile grew, Thomas wanting to roll his eyes as his father walked over to him and hugged him, ending the interaction by ruffling his midnight hair. 

“Definitely wonderful news! Worth celebrating over! Might have to call your mo-”

“He got in a fight.” Marie blurted out, her gaze on the floor, her fists trembling at her side, her name hissed out of her brother. 

“A fight?” Richard asked, Thomas rolling his eyes, feeling a bit ashamed when his father’s eyes narrowed. “With who-”

“It’s nothing you should be concerned about,” Thomas said, walking up the stairs to slowly retreat to his room. “No-thing,” Thomas enunciated each syllable.

“Stop lying Thomas,” Marie said, her voice wavering. She looked at her father with bluebell eyes, round and filled to brim with unshed tears. Richard’s heart ached. They looked just like hers. “He got in a fight with-”

“Marie.” Thomas sternly growled, watching his sister tense up. “Not. Now.”

“Thomas, let her-”

“Are you happy that you got Dad’s attention, Marie?” Thomas asked, Richard wondering what exactly was his son feeling. Anger? Annoyance? Jealousy?

“What are you-”

“Aren’t you happy Mar? Happy that Dad loves you  _ sooo _ much, simply because you’re the better one out of the two of us? The one that never gets in trouble? The goody-two-shoes, just like him? Like her? Like  _ them _ ?”

“What? No!” Marie squeaked, her eyes darting from their father and Thomas. “No, I-”

“Oh stop lying to yourself, Mar.” Thomas walked back down the stairs, his bag abandoned at the top. “You just  _ love _ the fact that Dad always prefers you over me. After all,” he looked past his father, watching as Marie cowered behind him, “-you look  _ just  _ like her.”

“Thomas.” Richard said sternly, standing in front of Marie, tears falling silently down her face. “That’s enough.”

“What’s enough?” Thomas asked with a dry laugh. “The fact that Marie looks  _ just  _ like Mom? The fact that Marie looks  _ identical _ to Mom? The fact that you have an identical replica of Mom living with us despite  _ me _ also being a part of her?” Thomas let out a shuddering sigh. “I bet you’d choose Mom over me if you had the chance, wouldn’t you?”

“Thomas. Take. That. Back.” Richard gritted.

“Why should I when we both know it’s the truth?”

“You’re jumping to conclusions young man.”

“Oh? Am I?” Thomas walked up to his father, the height difference not scaring him one bit. “Then explain why I’m always the outcast.” At that, Richard took a step back, wondering how to answer at the accusation. “Why was I always the one you avoided looking at? Why was I always the one sent to Grandpa Bruce’s manor while Marie got to stay with Grandpere Tom and Grandmere Sabine? Why was I the one who had to suffer through all the gossip behind my back? Why was I-”

“Because you resemble her the most.” Richard softly said, Thomas looking up to his father, wondering when he had curled into himself, why his vision was so blurry. When did he start crying? When did his father start crying? Why  _ was  _ he crying? “Because some days you sounded exactly like her.” Richard brought his son into an embrace, Thomas feeling his father tremble. “Even though you have my shade of blue eyes, you have her midnight hair.”

Thomas felt his chest both tighten up and feel lighter.

“You have her laugh and her voice, her button nose and scrunched up face whenever she ate something sour.” Thomas’ vision blurred again, a lump forming in his throat.

“Your freckles look identical to her’s, you have her smile when you eat your favorite ice cream combo: vanilla and chocolate mint.” Richard let out a wobbly laugh. “Did you know that was her favorite combination to eat?”

Richard separated himself from Thomas, watching Thomas hang his head in shame while also wiping his tears away.

“And despite never meeting her, you have the same habits she had.” Marie walked up to her father and silently cried into his side. He patted her head, pulling Thomas into a hug again, hearing muffled cries. “It’s not that I was avoiding you Thomas, I was just not prepared to face you… to face the reality that your mother will never be able to see how much her children have grown up without her seeing a single bit of it with her own eyes.”

Thomas’ wails broke the silence, Marie shortly joining in, her own sobs syncing with her brother’s, something Richard had yet to completely understand.

Even when they were infants -in the rare times they would cry- whenever one of them would cry, the other would join, their screams syncing into a single wail, sometimes scaring Richard.

It would still be something to get used to. 

Richard let his kids cry, knowing it was heavily needed. Talking to Thomas about the fight can wait for another time, his current emotions were more important than some fight from earlier that day.

He knew about Thomas’ constant fights, the academy always calling Richard to try to meet in person to speak about the situation, Richard always turning the appointments down. He already knew about them, he had for a while. He just knew it wasn’t the right time to approach Thomas about the issue.

He wanted to give Thomas the option to approach him, to confide in his father for advice.

Richard knew better than to pry information from people, if living with his adopted siblings taught him anything, it was to never pry. When he had applied pressure, or at least the majority of the time, it’d lead to an unwanted situation.

Their crying carried for minutes, almost an hour until they came to a soft hiccup, Thomas being the one to end the symphony of tears. Making sure that his kids calmed down completely and didn’t have anymore pent up emotions, Richard coaxed them to take a nap as Thomas and Marie ended up exhausting themselves, now drowsy from all the crying.

With great hesitance, the twins finally agreed to take a short nap, Thomas complaining how it would ruin his sleep schedule while Marie was starting to crave cake. Richard told Marie he would make sure a cake was made and finished before dinner while laughing at Thomas’ complaints. 

It reminded him of a certain someone.

Tucking Marie into bed and giving her a kiss on her forehead, Richard slipped out of Marie’s room and went to the kitchen to start working on the cake he had promised Mari. 

Setting up his work space, he got to baking, placing his glass bowl over a pan of hot water, cracking the eggs over it and placing the sugar and vanilla extract in as well. He began to mix the ingredients, feeling something was off.

_ “Oh! Don’t forget the honey! You always forget the honey!” _

“Right! The honey!”

_ “And don’t forget to remove it-” _

“Remove it when it gets to 40 celcius. And we have to do the same for the butter and milk.”

_ “Yup! Honestly, why do you keep asking me about the step if you got the majority of it down? _

“Just making sure.”

_ “Once you mix the first bowl you gotta add the cocoa powder.” _

“Right, the butter and milk come after that.”

_ “Yup! So let’s get back to baking!”  _

“Hope I don’t forget a step along the way.” Richard said to himself, failing to notice the figure that peered from the kitchen doorway, watching Richard talk to himself as he made the batter, placed it in the oven and started to prep for the next step.

“Do you see that Mari? He’s doing just fine. He may still be healing, but he’s okay.”

* * *

“What’s the cake for? Is it the twin’s birthday already?” A voice asked, making Dick jump, almost misplacing the last strawberry on the cake. 

“Kor’i!” He exclaimed with a smile, placing the strawberry down and going up to kiss his wife, having to tip-toe a bit to kiss her cheek. “When did you get back home?”

“When you started baking.” Kor’i giggled upon seeing the blush on Richard’s face. “I didn’t want to bother you so-”

“You could’ve still said hi.”

“You were talking with M.” Kor’i said softly, watching as it dawned on Richard as to what she had meant.

“Oh,” was all he could say, rubbing the back of his neck. “Was I?” Kor’i nodded, noticing the mess on the counter.

“Why don’t I help you clean up? That way you can take a short break before dinner.” Kor’i suggested, Dick nodding, the two cleaning up the mess in sweet silence.

* * *

The mess was cleaned, dinner ready to be heated and the cake to be eaten, but there was an hour to spare before Kor’i and Dick had to wake up the children, so they settled with sitting on the sectional sofa, Dick being Kori’s pillow as the two watched some drama Kor’i had been watching recently.

While Kor’i was highly immersed into the show, Dick was content in just being there, running his hand through her hair that seemed to flow for miles. Her sunset hair shimmered, before Dick realized it had turned midnight and short.

* * *

“-hope that- Dick?” Kor’i asked, quickly turning when he had stopped moving. One minute he was stroking her hair, the next he had stopped. 

Quickly, Kor’i kneeled beside Dick. “Dick? Dick? Dick, are you alright?”

“Mari. Is Mari okay?” He asked, staring at his hands, Kor’i noticing that tears ran down his face, his eyes had turned glossy.

“Dick... Dick.” Kor’i repeated, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Dick, please, say something.”

“It was all my fault.” Dick whispered, still looking into the distance, watching as Mari’s casket was lowered into the ground. “It was all my fault.”

* * *

_ Dick stormed out of the manor, slamming the door behind him, ignoring Alfred’s calls. _

_ This is exactly why he hated Bruce. Why he hated Batman. Why he hated being Robin. _

_ This is why this was going to be his last mission. His last mission... As a vigilante… _

_ He had enough of all of this...he just wanted to have a life next to  _ **_her_ ** _. _

_ As he made his way to his girlfriend’s home, ambulances rushed past him, firefighters and police cars following suit… all of them heading for- _

_ “Mari.” With the worst case scenario in his head, Dick broke into a sprint, praying that it was all wrong. That what his gut was telling him was wrong. That Mari was fine. That she is alright. _

Please, let her be okay.

* * *

_ He couldn’t bear to see her nor to touch her.  _

_ “I’m fine Dick.” Marinette softly said, placing her hand over his, drawing circles. “I’m going to be fine.” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “Hmm?” _

_ “Why are you so calm?” Dick grasped the mint green blanket into his hand. “Why aren’t you-” _

_ “Because I was also at fault.” _

_ “He was drunk.” _

_ “But I also was crossing the street when the light was still green.” _

_ “He was going over the speed limit, Marinette.” Dick gritted, getting up quickly, the hair falling down. “Don’t you understand how serious this is?” _

_ “I made it out with a simple scratch.” _

_ “Mari, that’s not a scratch. You could’ve ended up blind and possibly dead if it weren’t for your quick thinking and your phone.” _

_ Marinette pursed her lips at that, balling the blanket under her grip. _

_ She knew Dick was right, but she was grateful for her luck, only having the side of her face swollen and having a cut near her eye.  _

_ True, she could’ve died if her phone didn’t take the hit for her leg… but Marinette was just happy to be alive… _

_ Dick watched her avoid him as he took a breath, turning away from her as he collected himself.  _

Do it for her. 

_ Bruce’s words rang in his head as he prepared himself for the biggest mistake of his life. Hell, the biggest regret of his life. _

_ “I’ve had enough of this.” He said out of nowhere, Marinette wondering where this was coming from. _

_ “Enough of what?” _

_ “Of this!” Dick yelled, motioning at the hospital. “Every single time I come to visit you, I always end up here. Here!” _

_ “Richard, I-” _

_ “The first time I met you, it was my fault you were here. I wasn’t watching where I was driving, but since then?” Dick let out a dry laugh. “You manage to make it about yourself.” _

_ “Richard, I had to-”  _

_ “You should’ve let the ball roll off the first time, should’ve let the phone fall into the river the second, should’ve let the letter fly off into the air, let the dog runaway, let that girl-” _

_ “How can you say that I was doing it for attention?” Marinette scowled. “I was helping someone, saving them on that last one.” _

_ “Help to the extent of getting injured? Of dying?” Dick laughed before it came to a halt. “I can’t keep going like this. I rather not be involved with this.” _

_ Marinette’s eyes shrunk, feeling her view become smaller. She could feel her chest tighten, a lump forming in her throat. _

_ Please don’t… don’t say- _

_ “I think it’s better if we go our own ways.” _

_ He did... _

_ Marinette didn’t know when he left, nor did she know when the other doctors came into her room. She only acknowledged them when one of them sat on her bed and held her hand, giving it a squeeze. _

_ It was only then that she noticed that the other two doctors that were in the room avoided looking at her, their mouths in thin lines. _

_ “I’m...I’m pretty sure you didn’t hear us when we came in...we noticed you were dazed off, recovering from today’s accident.” The doctor at her side said, letting out a huff. “We’re here to tell you about your friend, Alya.” Marinette perked at that. “We came to the decision to tell you about your friend now rather than later or through someone else.” _

_ No.  _

_ Please… don’t… _

_ She can’t right now… She can’t lose another person… She won’t be able to handle that... _

_ “Wh-What, where is Alya?” _

_ She needed Alya right now... _

_ “I’m sorry, but Mme.Ceshaire… she didn’t make it through the surgery.” _

_ One minute Marinette saw the three doctors in her room… the next, her world had become dark. _

* * *

_ “She’s awake! Someone! Get the doctor!” _

_ Marinette’s eyes flickered, flinching when her eyes adjusted to the lights. _

_ “I see that you’re doing better, Mme.Dupain-Cheng. And we need you to be doing better, to get better. After all, you have to live on for two now.” _

_ “I, um, I beg your pardon?” Marinette asked, adjusting herself to sit up a bit, watching as the doctor looked at her in astonishment and then gracefully gave her a smile. _

_ “I’m guessing you didn’t know, but that’s quite understandable, seeing as you are only two weeks in.” _

_ “I’m sorry, but I’m still not-” _

_ “You are pregnant Mme.Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette’s heart fell. “Congratulations.”  _

* * *

_ It was finally done.  _

_ Fuck Bruce.  _

_ He was never going back.  _

_ Dick felt like a weight in his shoulders were slightly lifted.  _

_ There was no turning back.  _

_ As Dick headed for the bakery where he knew Marinette still resided in, his heart came to a halt as his eyes laid on the girl he had left behind.  _

_ She had changed. She was a bit more plump, glowing as she sat on the chair outside the bakery. Next to her, a man who he’d only see a few times. Luka, if he remembered correctly.  _

_ But that wasn’t what had caused his heart to stop beating. It was her figure that had him to stop breathing. She was pregnant. But now the question that rose: whose was it? Who was the father of the child she was to bare? _

_ It didn’t take long to figure it out because as soon as Dick locked eyes with Luka, he saw red in the other man’s eyes. One minute Dick was looking at an enraged Luka and the next he saw a fist, toppling backwards where his head met the floor. _

_ “How dare you show your face around here after what you’ve done to Marinette!” _

_ “What-” a grunt. “Are you-” a gag as he tasted blood. “Talking about?” But Dick got no response. Luka just keeps punching him, Dick letting him despite his brain telling him to defend himself. But his heart said otherwise. Something told him he deserved it. _

_ “Luka! Stop it! Please!” Marinette’s voice cracked as she pleaded, Luka almost stopping instantly when he heard it.  _

_ Dick swore that his heart stopped at how broken it sounded, how tired it had become.  _

_ Was it all because of him? _

_ “Mari, I-“ _

_ “Come inside.” Marinette said with a weak voice. “I don’t want anyone eavesdropping on our conversation.  _

* * *

_ After getting fixed up, Marinette treating his last bruise, Dick finished what he came to tell her.  _

_ The reason he broke up with her and didn’t contact her for months? One word: Kitten.  _

_ She had decided to waltz back into his life, but this time being the new Killer Moth, something Bruce and Dick did not expect to hear after hearing of Drury’s death.  _

_ While Bruce quickly adjusted to the new villain, Dick couldn’t. Because he knew what this meant. _

_ She wanted him -hence her return- and this time, she came prepared. _

_ She had more things to hold hostage against Dick - Gotham, Batman, Robin...and Marinette. _

_ He needed to act quick, hasty decisions that led to successfully taking Kitten down.  _

_ However, they also led to regrets. _

_ He watched as Marinette dropped the bag of frozen peas, her eyes filling up with tears.  _

_ “All of that, for a mission?” _

_ “I know. It was stupid-“ _

_ “Stupid barely just scratches the surface.” She started, letting out a dry laugh. “It was downright idiotic!” Holding her hand to her head, she walked in a complete circle before facing him again. “Why didn’t you just tell me? Why? Didn’t you trust me?” _

_ “I do! I still do.” _

_ “Sure didn’t seem like it.” Marinette scoffed. “Because if you did, you would’ve told me.” _

_ “I could’ve never returned to you had the mission gone wrong.” Dick defended, attempting to reach out to her, only for Mari to catch his hand and shake her head.  _

_ “I would’ve understood. I know the sacrifices a person must make to keep their loved ones protected.” She reminded him, Dick fully knowing she was referring to her days of being Ladybug. _

_ “Kitten-” Dick started, only to get cut off.  _

_ “Kitten would’ve faced my wrath if you didn’t come back to me.” Marinette said, then remembering about that clingy girl he once spoke of. “I would’ve done something to bring you back home.” _

_ “I know. And that’s what I also feared.” _

_ “Hmm?” _

_ “I feared that if it did go wrong and you had to do something to get me back, and something happened to you as well...what does that say about me? Am I too weak to protect you? That I’m still not ready to have my own life and protect it?” _

_ “What’s wrong in relying on others?” _

_ “It often means bringing in more people for others to hold hostage.” _

_ “Is that what your father taught you?” Marinette asked coldly, glaring at the bruise on Dick’s face. “Is that what you learned from fighting alongside Batman? Red Robin? Robin? Because if anything, they prove otherwise.” _

_ “I just don’t-” _

_ “Sometimes, you have to rely on others, lean on their shoulders.” Marinette reminded, cupping Richard’s face, gently pressing her forehead against his. “Just hide away your fears and ask for help. Talk to someone, just like you are with me.” _

_ Dick didn’t know when he had placed his hands over hers nor when he got up to embrace her. He just knew that whatever stood between them no longer stood there.  _

_ That she somehow washed away his fears. _

_ “Thank you, Mari.” _

_ “That doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for doing that stunt on me.” Marinette said against his ear, a chill running down his spine. _

_ “R-right.”  _

* * *

_ The next months were spent with Dick picking up the responsibility he had never picked up. _

_ He helped Marinette with her modeling, helped her deal with her clients, always at her beck and call each day. _

_ He did the cleaning, the laundry and the cooking, not once letting Marinette lift a finger.  _

_ Despite each day spent like an errand boy, Dick cherished each moment.  _

_ Their morning greetings (which was a boop on the nose), their lunch dates, Dick watching Marinette hum and caress her stomach whenever she took a break, being by Mari’s side whenever she felt irritated, and the list went on.  _

_ Those days became weeks, which in turn, became months.  _

_ He didn’t remember when he had the guts to ask her to marry him, crying when she said yes. _

_ The two moved into their own apartment - big enough for them and their bundle of joy.  _

* * *

_ With each passing day, he longed for the moment he’d be able to meet their child, Dick often being the one to bring out lists of names to choose from.  _

_ They’d talk about the nursery as they watched the city lights beam across their ceiling at night.  _

_ They’d talk about the cribs and the onesies they have to buy. Which brand to choose and the stuffed animals to buy.  _

_ As he’d run his hand through her midnight locks, they would speak of what family activities to do.  _

_ Introduce them to Disney, take them to the beach, the amusement park. To Paris! _

_ They’d let their fantasies run wild, fully knowing that money was the least of their problem.  _

_ They just wanted the best for their child.  _

_ Their future.  _

* * *

_ And in the blink of an eye, they were there.  _

* * *

_ “He’s so tiny.” Richard cooed, cradling his son in his arms, watching the tiny infant squirm in his blanket. He had a tuft of navy hair, a few strands seeping from his tiny hat. _

_ It was still pretty early in the morning, the delivery being five in the morning and yet Richard still had energy to spare. Or maybe he knew it wasn’t fair to his wife who worked so hard to bring their bundle of joy to their lives. _

_ “He is, meaning that there’s still space to carry another one.” Marinette hummed, Richard tilting his head. _

_ “Another...one?” Marinette giggled as she watched the nurse roll in another makeshift crib into the room, watching as tears rolled down Richard’s face. “Mari… why didn’t you-” _

_ “I made sure to keep it a secret.” Marinette watched as the nurse helped Richard balance the two children into his arms, ingraining the memory. “Only my parents knew about them. Oh! And Alfred too!”  _

_ “She’s adorable,” was all Richard could whisper out as he looked at their children in his arms.  _

_ “Thomas. Marie.” Marinette said, reaching out for her children, the nurse quickly going to Richard to get Thomas and then Marie. Richard wanted to pout upon having his children taken from him but he didn’t care.  _

_ His heart melted as he watched the two infants snuggle closer to their mother, tiny smiles on their wrinkly faces.  _

_ “I’ll always be watching over you. Always.” Marinette softly spoke, her smile getting bigger before it quivered. “I’m sorry.”  _

_ What was she talking about? Sorry? About what? _

_ “Richard.” Marinette spoke, even quieter this time, Dick noticing that her hold on the children was loosening, probably because she was tired. Without another word, he scooped the children into his arm, watching Marinette look at him with soft eyes. “Come closer.” _

_ He did. _

_ He watched as Marinette slowly lifted her hand to his cheek, caressing it as she smiled, unshed tears pooling in her eyes.  _

_ “You know I’ve always loved you and I always will.” _

_ “You tell me everyday my love.” Dick assured, leaning into her cold touch. “I love you too.” _

_ “Please.” Marinette pleaded, a tear sliding down her pale face, her lips giving him a frail smile. “Promise me that you’ll take care of them.” _

_ “Of course I will.” RIchard smiled, wanting to caress her cheek as well, instead, he settled for a forehead press. She was kinda cold. “I’ll take care of them alongside you.” Marinette shook her head. _

_ “Only you will be able to take care of... them.” Marinette said, her voice cracking towards the end. “I’m sorry.” She whispered out, Richard finally piecing together her words. _

_ “Mari. Mari, no. You...you can’t.” Richard set the children down into their respective cribs, hearing her monitor start to beep in alarm. “Mari, Mari! Mari please! Someone!” _

_ He started to shout outside the door, shouting for someone to come and help him. _

_ He shouted desperately, watching as no one came, the crying of his two children being his only solace.  _

_ She died with a smile on her face.  _

* * *

“It was all my fault! I should’ve never left her alone! I should've told her about the mission instead of leaving her out of the loop! If I had simply-“

“Dick, you didn’t know.” Kor’i softly said, never noticing when the twins had gotten to the living room, watching as their father broke down. “None of us knew, but her.”

“Mari, is Mari okay? Tell me Kor’i! Is Marinette going to be alright?” Dick asked, clinging onto Kor’i. 

This...this was the first time the twins had ever heard their mother’s name out of their father’s mouth. It was always ‘Mom,’ ‘Mother,’ Nettie’. It was never Marinette. 

“Richard. She’s alright.” Kor’i hushed, watching as Dick let out shuddering breaths. “The children are okay as well.” 

Thomas and Marie watched as their father visibly calmed down, watching Kor’i give him a soft smile. 

“So she’s okay? She’s not…” he trailed off, looking at Kor’i with glossy eyes. When he saw Kor’i nod, let out a sigh before he collapsed to his side, the cushions allowing him to drift off to sleep. 

Thomas and Marie attempted to go over to their father, but didn’t when Kor’i prevented them from getting any closer. 

“Does...does- is this new?” Marie asked, watching her father in deep sleep, tears staining the pillow underneath him. “Was this-“

“He doesn’t have them that often anymore, they used to be much worse. And as much as I want to say no, I can’t do that. So yes, perhaps the sudden situation that caused him to confess his feelings may have triggered this one.” Kor’i responded despite not wanting to confirm Marie’s suspicions. 

“Will he be alright?” Thomas then asked, holding onto Marie’s hand that trembled in guilt. 

“He’s going to be alright. I assure you that much.” Thomas and Marie watched as Kor’i draped a blanket over him, wondering what awaited them.

The two walked out the living room, walking into the kitchen, a sob escaping Marie. 

“Come on Marie. You can’t just-“

“What if it’s our fault Mom isn’t here?” Marie cut her brother off. “What if we’re the reason-“ She flinched when Thomas slammed his hands on the kitchen counter. 

“Don’t you dare say that!” Thomas grabs her by the shoulders, shaking her a bit. “Don’t you dare mock Mom’s feelings like that! If we’re here while she isn’t, then she wanted us to live! And because we’re living, we can’t just just take her decision for granted!” 

“I know, but-“ Marie bit her lip. “How did we just believe Dad wasn’t still suffering from her death? Why didn’t we notice it? Why didn’t he say anything? We’re his children. He should’ve said something. We could’ve helped.”

Thomas frowned, watching as his sister silently cried. 

He hated to say this, but she was right. 

He could’ve told them what he was going through. He could’ve leaned on them… then again, who was he to judge him for that?

He never spoke of his fights with his father, so what right did he have for demanding him to tell them about his problems?

Now that he thought about, why did he never speak of the fights? 

Was it his shame? His guilt? 

No. 

Thomas knew why he never spoke of the fights. 

It was his pride. 

They called him motherless, a bastard when they saw him argue with his father once and when they learned that Kor’i was his father’s ‘current’ wife was someone from Tamaran, they called him a Torq. 

Torq. 

Insignificant. A nobody. That nothing good would ever come from a motherless rebel like him. 

Thomas hit the side of his fist against the wall, a book hitting his head and falling to the floor. 

Why did he choose the side of the kitchen where all the cookbooks were at?

Rubbing his aching bruise, Thomas went to pick it up, eyes widening when he saw the name on the opened front page. 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Marie rushes over the moment she hears the name, slightly pushing her brother to get a better view of the book. 

They flipped the page, confused to see writing on it. 

“They’re recipes.” Marie pointed out, looking at the fruit tart recipe on the page they were currently looking at. 

“Mom wrote all of these.” Thomas stated the obvious, running his hand across the neatly written instructions. The regular instructions were in black, side notes and suggestions in red and pink respectively. 

He also couldn’t help but notice a ladybug theme on the book. 

Did she like ladybugs?

“In case Dick has another nightmare or breakdown.” Marie read out loud, Thomas looking to where he was reading.

“An herbal tea?”

“Do you think...it will work?”

“We can give it a try.”

“Let’s do it then!” Marie said with a smile. “Let’s make Dad feel better!”

_ I know you two can do it! Good luck! _

* * *

“It happened again, didn’t it?” Dick asked, looking down at his trembling hands. 

It wasn’t even a complete ten minutes before he woke up. His body was sore and his throat parched. Another one, huh? “And I’m front of-“

“They were going to find out eventually.” Kor’i said softly, amazed that it took 16 whole years for them to find out. While babies didn’t fully understand breakdowns, they can absolutely feel them. “And what better time than now.”

“But they shouldn’t have to deal with-“

“They are not dealing with anything. Instead, they are learning more about you. Getting to finally know about their father.”

“Their pathetic poor-excuse-of-a-father.” Dick huffed, placing his head into his hands. “Can’t even get over-“

“Don’t. Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” Kor’i gritted, cupping Dick’s face to make him look at her. “Don’t you dare say that death should be easy to get over. Because it’s not. And never will. Only time can heal it. And we both know that.”

“All too well.” Dick added, placing his head on her shoulder. “Sorry for saying that.”

“It’s alright.” 

“Dad.” “Dad.” They heard their kids say simultaneously, noticing that Thomas had a tray in his hand. 

“What’s that you got there?” Dick attempted to say with a chirp, causing everyone to resist showing a frown. 

“It’s a tea recipe we found.” Thomas started. 

“We decided to make it after finding it in Mom’s recipe book.”

They watched as their father’s eyes grew large. 

“Mari’s...cookbook. It thought it was lost in the move from long ago.” Dick whispered as he took the cup of tea, the aroma of ginger and cinnamon bringing back old memories. “It smells just like the tea she used to make.”

Marie and Thomas watched as their father took a sip from it, wondering if it tastes the same as Mom’s. 

“Does...does it taste...good?” Marie asked after a long moment of awkward silence. 

“It almost tastes exactly like hers. Of course, there’s still something missing-“ Marie’s hiccups, Dick quickly getting up to console her,setting down his cup. “Mari, the tea-“

“I’m glad you liked it. I thought you wouldn’t.” Marie sobbed, wiping away her tears. “We tried to figure out what the last ingredient was but after testing out different things, nothing seemed to be it.” 

“Whatever Mom meant by ‘tears of true love,’ we weren’t able to crack it.” Thomas clarifies, placing the empty tray onto the coffee table. “But I guess it was still a success if you said it tastes similar to Mom’s.”

Dick smiled, pulling Thomas close to him. 

“Seems like the two of you have your mother’s gift of creation.” Dick felt Kor’i join in on the hug. “She’d be really proud of the two of you. Without a doubt.” 

He wiped away a tear that dared to slip, flicking it away. 

He never realized the soft pink glow that emitted from the tea when the tear flew into it. 

The tear of true love...in the shape of a healing family. 


End file.
